Jack Goes Boating — Philip Seymour Hoffman directs and stars in this romantic comedy about Jack, a marijuana-smoking Manhattan limo driver who begins an unlikely regimen of self-improvement to win the heart of a fellow misfit named Connie (Amy Ryan). But as Jack learns to cook and swim for the benefit of his girl, he also witnesses the breakup of his best friends’ marriage. John Ortiz and Daphne Rubin-Vega co-star in this adaptation of Bob Glaudini’s play.
Red — After trading in his professional past as a black-ops CIA operative for a new identity, Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is basking in normality. But he’s forced to return to old habits when an assassin puts a target on his back and goes after the woman (Mary-Louise Parker) he loves. Helen Mirren and John Malkovich co-star as former members of Frank’s team who reluctantly reassemble to save his life in this Golden Globe-nominated action-comedy.
Salt — After she’s accused of being a Russian sleeper spy, rogue CIA agent Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) goes on the run, using every tactic, accent and disguise she knows to elude her pursuers, clear her name and protect her husband. Her supervisor, Winter (Liev Schreiber), buys her story, while counterintelligence officer Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor) decidedly does not and will do anything to stop her in this fast-paced, intrigue-filled spy adventure.
Enter the Void — When Oscar (Nathaniel Brown), a foreign drug dealer living in Tokyo with his stripper sister, Linda (Paz de la Huerta), is fatally shot in a police raid, his spirit leaves his body in a hallucinatory odyssey that merges his past, present and future into a chaotic whole. This riveting third film from provocative French auteur Gaspar Noe screened in competition at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. Cyril Roy co-stars.
Secretariat — When Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) agrees to take over her ailing father’s thoroughbred stable, she transforms from housewife to horse breeder — and owner of the colt that will take the 1973 Triple Crown — in this dramatic biopic. The film explores Chenery’s bond with “Big Red” and depicts her rise to greatness as the “first lady of racing.” John Malkovich plays trainer Lucien Laurin, and Fred Dalton Thompson co-stars as big-shot breeder Bull Hancock.
The American — On the heels of a rough assignment, assassin Jack (George Clooney) declares that his next job will be his last. Dispatched to a small Italian town to await further orders, Jack embarks on a double life that may be more relaxing than is good for him. Although duty will surely call, Jack becomes friends with Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli) and falls for villager Clara (Violante Placido) in this suspense thriller directed by Anton Corbijn.
Pie in the Sky: S4 — When he isn’t pursuing his first love — cooking at his wife’s restaurant, Pie in the Sky — semiretired detective Henry Crabbe (Richard Griffiths) takes on special cases for the Westershire police in this spirited BBC crime drama. In the fourth series, Crabbe tackles police corruption, armed robbery, vandalism and murder as he tries to unravel the crimes — all while managing the kitchen of his family’s dining establishment.
Punching the Clown — In a bid to jump-start his flagging career, a hapless songwriter (Henry Phillips) moves to L.A., where through a stroke of dumb luck, he lands a record deal. But show biz is a fickle mistress, and that luck soon turns when he becomes the victim of a vicious rumor. Winner of the Audience Award at the Slamdance Film Festival, this indie comedy (directed by Gregori Viens) co-stars Ellen Ratner and Matthew Walker.
Animal Kingdom — When his mother dies suddenly, a 17-year-old boy (James Frecheville) finds himself drawn into the clutches of a diabolical criminal family, until a good-hearted detective (Guy Pearce) makes a concerted effort to change the boy’s fate. Australian writer-director David Michôd’s first feature-length drama won the World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
Paper Man — Through special friendships with a teenage girl, Abby (Emma Stone), and an imaginary superhero named Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds), frustrated novelist Richard (Jeff Daniels) experiences a second adolescence, which helps him discover a completely new way of life. Husband-and-wife team Michele Mulroney and Kieran Mulroney write and direct this funny drama that also stars Lisa Kudrow, Hunter Parrish and Kieran Culkin.
Devil — In this edgy thriller, Det. Bowden (Chris Messina) must not only save five people trapped in an elevator — a mechanic (Logan Marshall-Green), a young woman (Bojana Novakovic), an old woman (Jenny O’Hara), a guard (Bokeem Woodbine) and a salesman (Geoffrey Arend) — but he must act fast because the devil is among them. Drew Dowdle and John Erick Dowdle direct M. Night Shyamalan’s story, which explores the notion that there are no coincidences.
Stone — Edward Norton plays a convicted arsonist who hopes to get out of prison early by putting to work the seductive talents of his beautiful wife, Lucetta (Milla Jovovich). Robert DeNiro plays the parole officer who is the target of the couple’s cat-and-mouse scheming. John Curran (The Painted Veil) directs this subtle psychological thriller based on the play by screenwriter Angus MacLachlan (Junebug).
Guzaarish — After an onstage disaster leaves illusionist Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik Roshan) a quadriplegic, he channels his magic into a hit radio show. But on the 14th anniversary of his accident, Ethan again elects to take his life into his hands — this time irrevocably. Against the wishes of his faithful nurse (Aishwarya Rai) but supported by his mother, Ethan fights for the right to die just as a young man approaches him for tutelage.
Lebanon — In this claustrophobic drama by first-time director Samuel Maoz — a veteran of the early ’80s Israel/Lebanon conflict in which the film is set — four Israeli soldiers command a tank in a situation that becomes increasingly tense and chaotic. Like Das Boot before it, most of the action is confined to the stark interiors of that tank, as the men wrestle with fear, anger and their own consciences in the face of possible death and worse.
White Wedding — The chances that groom-to-be Elvis (Kenneth Nkosi) will make it to his wedding on time dwindle with each passing hour as he and best man Tumi (Rapulana Seiphemo) experience car trouble, meet up with a strange British hitchhiker and run into other obstacles en route to Cape Town. Meanwhile, Elvis’s lovely fiancée, Ayanda (Zandile Msutwana), faces a crisis of her own. Jodie Whittaker co-stars in this comedy from South Africa, directed by Jann Turner.
Nowhere Boy — Raised by his aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) since he was a young boy, charismatic 15-year-old John Lennon (Aaron Johnson) is suddenly reunited with his mother, Julia (Anne-Marie Duff), which ignites a bitter battle between the two sisters for John’s affections. Along the way, John inherits his mother’s love of music and befriends fellow Liverpool lad Paul McCartney (Thomas Sangster) in this biopic of the music icon’s formative years.
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps — Trader Jake (Shia LaBeouf) tries to mend the broken relationship between his fiancée, Winnie (Carey Mulligan), and her father, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), while avenging the fate of his mentor, Lou (Frank Langella), by getting close to Wall Street’s new megalomaniac, Bretton James (Josh Brolin). Centered on the 2008 financial crisis, director Oliver Stone’s follow-up is a modern-day ode to unfettered capitalism and, of course, greed.
Resident Evil: Afterlife — The Undead Apocalypse continues unabated as super-soldier Alice (Milla Jovovich) finds her way to a supposed sanctuary in Los Angeles, which may just be a deadly trap set for her by the ruthless Umbrella Corporation. The fourth film in Paul W.S. Anderson’s blood-soaked saga finds Alice teaming up with Claire (Ali Larter) and Chris (Wentworth Miller) and a handful of stragglers to save what’s left of humanity.
Inhale — In a desperate move to save his daughter’s life, a New Mexico district attorney (Dermot Mulroney) crosses the border to look into an illegal lung transplant. But upon arrival, he learns the truth about where these “donated” organs really come from. Diane Kruger, Sam Shepard and Rosanna Arquette co-star in this gritty examination of ethics, immigration and innocent lives from director Baltasar Kormákur.
Red Hill — After being shot on duty, police officer Shane Cooper (Ryan Kwanten) moves with his pregnant wife to the quiet Outback town of Red Hill, where surly sheriff Old Bill (Steve Bisley) is downright unfriendly and Shane’s first day on the job turns into the worst day of his life. When killer Jimmy Conway (Tommy Lewis) escapes from jail and heads for Red Hill, the police try to track the skilled hunter, and Shane soon realizes something is very wrong.
Dogtooth — In this Greek drama, siblings who grow up cut off from the world — homeschooled and dependent on one another for entertainment — develop their own blissful alternative universe. That universe is shattered when their father lets in an outsider. Sex enters the picture when dad begins bringing home a female security officer to satisfy his son’s sexual needs. Suddenly, nothing is quite the same within this highly idiosyncratic family unit.
Inspector Bellamy — From renowned French director Claude Chabrol comes this intriguingly low-key police thriller in which vacationing detective Paul Bellamy (Gérard Depardieu) can’t keep himself from getting involved when a mystery rears its head on holiday. Of course, his wife (Marie Bunel) is less than thrilled to share her vacation with criminals, and when Bellamy’s brother pays an unexpected visit, the family tensions ratchet up as high as the professional ones.
Justified: S1 — Based on an Elmore Leonard short story, “Justified” stars Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens, a young U.S. Marshal who’s been assigned to help keep order in the same Kentucky region where he spent his childhood. Givens is a thoughtful but determined old-style lawman who seems strangely out of place in a modern, turbulent society. That places him at odds not only with the criminals he pursues, but also with his bosses at the U.S. Marshals Service.
Merlin: S2 — Magic and action reign in Season 2 of this family show featuring young warlock Merlin (Colin Morgan), who acts as a servant to Arthur (Bradley James), the future king of Camelot. But Merlin must keep his abilities a secret because magic has been banned by Arthur’s father. Aided by court physician Gaius (Richard Wilson) and the Great Dragon (voiced by John Hurt), Merlin battles wily sorcerers and court intrigue.
Waking the Dead: S5 — Season 5 of this hit cop drama finds detective Peter Boyd (Trevor Eve) leading his team of crack forensic investigators as they use DNA and other advances in technology to unravel murder cases that have long gone cold. Joined by pathologist Dr. Felix Gibson (Esther Hall), the squad works to close the files on old crimes such as a dried-up corpse found in an abandoned airplane and a serial killer who imprisons victims underground.
Downton Abbey — Exposing the snobbery, backbiting and machinations of a disappearing class system, this seven-part British series chronicles the comings and goings of the upper-crust Crawley family and their assorted servants. Ensconced in their stately manor, the Crawleys delight in their aristocratic life — until the sinking of the
RMS Titanic in 1912 muddles their line of inheritance. Maggie Smith plays the sneering Dowager Countess of Grantham.
MI5: V8 — Season 8 of this acclaimed spy drama finds case officer Lucas (Richard Armitage), newly returned intel analyst Ruth (Nicola Walker) and the rest of the Section D team scrambling to rescue their counterterrorism department head, Harry (Peter Firth), from mysterious Russian agents. Joined by rookie technician Tariq (Shazad Latif), the unit finds itself drawn into a web of intrigue involving the CIA and a shadowy organization called Nightingale.
Wish Me Luck: S2 — In the second round of this topnotch British series, a pair of new operatives — Vivien Ashton (Lynn Farleigh) and Emily Whitbread (Jane Snowden) — joins the team, while veteran agent Liz Grainger (Kate Buffery) moves to the command center in London. But Emily’s lack of experience and the troublesome secret that Vivien is harboring may jeopardize the organization’s efforts to subvert the enemy and liberate Nazi-occupied France.
Freakonomics — Several documentary directors each film a segment representing one chapter of Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner’s best-seller
Freakonomics, which explains different elements of popular culture through economic theory and statistics. Issues include everything from cheating sumo wrestlers to whether Roe v. Wade produced a drop in crime. Filmmakers include Morgan Spurlock, Alex Gibney, Seth Gordon, Eugene Jarecki, Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing.
Still Bill — Explore the remarkable life of singer-songwriter Bill Withers, a working-class man who rose to fame and fortune with hits such as “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lean on Me,” then retreated from the spotlight to focus on his family. Packed with live performances, a tribute concert, and interviews with Sting, African American scholar Cornel West and others, this documentary follows Withers as he reflects on his past and contemplates his future.
Which Way Home — In 2006, Rebecca Cammisa received a Fulbright Scholar Grant to travel to Mexico to document the plight of the children left behind when their families travel to the United States to find work. This Oscar-nominated film is the result of her journey. Cammisa and her crew follow a trio of children who set out on their own from their Latin American abodes on a dangerous trek through Mexico en route to the U.S. border and — they hope — their families’ embrace.
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows P1 — The first installment of the two-part conclusion to the Harry Potter series finds the bespectacled wizard (Daniel Radcliffe) walking away from his last year at Hogwarts to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes, putting an end to Voldemort’s bid for immortality. But with Harry’s beloved Dumbledore dead and Voldemort’s unscrupulous Death Eaters on the loose, the world is more dangerous than ever.
Man in the Chair— Hoping to craft the winning entry in a student film competition, teenage movie geek Cameron (Michael Angarano) enlists the help of an ornery old Hollywood gaffer named Flash (Christopher Plummer), who happens to be the last surviving crew member of Orson Welles’s masterpiece Citizen Kane. This unusual comedy also stars Robert Wagner as a has-been producer and M. Emmet Walsh as a retired screenwriter.
Perry Mason: The Sinister Spirit— When a reviled horror author plummets to his death from atop a hotel bell tower, an eyewitness (Kim Delaney) spots disgruntled book publisher Jordan (Robert Stack) at the crime scene. Expert defense attorney Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) steps in to prove his innocence. As Perry tries to uncover the truth, his partner Paul (William Katt) investigates a series of spooky ghost sightings.
Jack Goes Boating — Philip Seymour Hoffman directs and stars in this romantic comedy about Jack, a marijuana-smoking Manhattan limo driver who begins an unlikely regimen of self-improvement to win the heart of a fellow misfit named Connie (Amy Ryan). But as Jack learns to cook and swim for the benefit of his girl, he also witnesses the breakup of his best friends’ marriage. John Ortiz and Daphne Rubin-Vega co-star in this adaptation of Bob Glaudini’s play.
Hereafter — Clint Eastwood directs this supernatural thriller about three very different people and their responses to death, including a hesitant American psychic named George (Matt Damon) who may be able to help the others find answers and peace. Marie (Cécile De France) is a French journalist caught up in the aftereffects of the devastating 2004 tsunami, while in London, young Marcus (Frankie and George McLaren) seeks to contact his deceased twin brother.
Black Swan — In director Darren Aronofsky’s psychological thriller, ambitious New York City ballet dancer Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) lands the lead in “Swan Lake” but soon thinks her dreams of stardom are threatened by a rival ballerina (Mila Kunis). As opening night nears and the pressure to be perfect builds, Nina’s obsession descends into paranoia and delusion. Portman won an Academy Award for the film, which also nabbed an Oscar nod for Best Picture.
Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader — With their dour, bookish cousin Eustace (Will Poulter) in tow, the youngest Pevensie offspring — Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmund (Skandar Keynes) — take an unexpected trip back to Narnia and join noble King Caspian (Ben Barnes) for an epic high-seas adventure. Setting sail aboard the Dawn Treader, the young heroes head for the end of the world, determined to rescue seven once-powerful lords banished by Caspian’s evil uncle.
Nothing But the Truth — Journalist Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale) turns Washington on its ear when she outs a casual acquaintance (Vera Farmiga) as a CIA agent. The government’s formidable prosecutor (Matt Dillon) sends Rachel to jail for contempt, where she discovers the true impact of her decision. David Schwimmer and Alan Alda co-star in this drama from Rod Lurie, the politically savvy filmmaker behind The Contender and “Commander in Chief.”
The Champ — Andy Purcell (Wallace Beery) is a washed-up, boozy boxer and compulsive gambler who travels from bout to bout with his adoring son, Dink (Jackie Cooper), in tow. But when Andy lands in a Tijuana jail, he realizes Dink’s welfare is at stake and sends him to live with his mother (Irene Rich). For his tour-de-force performance in the title role, Beery walked away with the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Treasure Island — When young Jim Hawkins and cohorts book passage on a ship to take them to the “treasure island” of their map to pirate gold, they soon discover that not all of the crew is on their side — and that the loot they’re seeking has already been found. Getting the booty — and getting out alive — could prove tricky. This fifth film version of the classic tale stars Wallace Beery as Long John Silver and Jackie Cooper as Hawkins.
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie — In Luis Buñuel’s deliciously satiric, Oscar-winning masterpiece, an upper-class sextet (Fernando Rey, Paul Frankeur, Delphine Seyrig, Stéphane Audran, Bulle Ogier and Jean-Pierre Cassel) sits down to dinner but never eats, their attempts repeatedly thwarted by a vaudevillian mixture of events both actual and imagined. Perhaps his greatest film, Buñuel’s absurdist view of the upper class is a timeless satire about consumerism and class privilege.
Animal Kingdom — When his mother dies suddenly, a 17-year-old boy (James Frecheville) finds himself drawn into the clutches of a diabolical criminal family, until a good-hearted detective (Guy Pearce) makes a concerted effort to change the boy’s fate. Australian writer-director David Michôd’s first feature-length drama won the World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
Hercules and the Circle of Fire — All the fires in the world are dying out at once, and it’s up to the legendary Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) and Deianeira (Tawny Kitaen) to bring warmth back to the mortal realm. Overseeing these adventures is Zeus (Anthony Quinn), king of the gods, who just as soon interferes as assists the heroes. Kevin Atkinson appears as Cheiron and Stephanie Barrett as Phaedra in this made-for-TV take on the classic myth.
Mosaic — When an ancient rune stone reacts with a sudden electrical storm, upcoming teen actress Maggie Nelson (voiced by Anna Paquin) is caught in the middle and becomes an unlikely superhero. Transformed by the incident, she develops the ability to shape-shift like a human chameleon capable of blending into any environment. Facing off against a crazed alchemist, can Maggie thwart the madman’s plot and manage to graduate from high school?
Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost — The seventh installation of this popular crime-drama series finds alcoholic cop Jesse Stone back on the job as police chief of Paradise, Mass., suspecting that the apparent drug-related suicide of a young friend is actually foul play.
Code 46 — In this futuristic sci-fi romance, William (Tim Robbins) is an insurance examiner whose company assigns him to investigate the use of papelles, fake travel insurance papers required by the strict government. Along the way, he meets Maria (Samantha Morton), the woman responsible for the phony papelles. Although he knows who she is, he engages in a fiery affair with her … but he’ll have to end it within 24 hours, when his own papelles expire.
The Legend of the Lone Ranger — Discover how the Lone Ranger (Klinton Spilsbury) rose to mythical status in the Wild West in this thrilling adventure. His thirst for justice may have begun as early as his adolescent years, when his parents were murdered. At first he tries to work within the boundaries of the law by serving as a Texas Ranger, but after being shot by a member of the Cavendish gang, the Lone Ranger decides to ride solo, accompanied only by his trusted pal, Tonto.
Ice Pirates — Intergalactic buccaneers (led by Robert Urich) traversing the outer reaches of space in search of booty agree to help a princess (Mary Crosby) whose father has disappeared, as they attempt to reform their thieving ways by stealing water (in the form of ice) to supply a thirsty planet. John Carradine, Anjelica Huston and John Matuszak co-star in this fantasy-adventure from director Stewart Raffill (Mac and Me).
Runaway — Michael Crichton (who wrote both the novel and the screenplay Jurassic Park) directs this near-future sci-fi/crime thriller that explores the classic theme of machines gone bad. Sgt. Jack Ramsey (Tom Selleck) is the police robotics expert on the case when evil genius Dr. Charles Luthor (Kiss front man Gene Simmons) unleashes his reprogrammed androids. Runaway also stars Cynthia Rhoades (Dirty Dancing) and Kirstie Alley (“Cheers”).
Unstoppable — It’s a nail-biting race against time as an unmanned train carrying a load of lethal chemicals speeds out of control, and a conductor and engineer do everything in their power to keep it from derailing and killing tens of thousands of people. Denzel Washington leads the cast in Tony Scott’s tough-minded action thriller, in which a terrible circumstance forces a couple of ordinary men to become extraordinary heroes.
Lawman — Director Michael Winner’s stoic interpretation of a timeless Western motif stars Burt Lancaster as flinty, uncompromising Marshal Jered Maddox. He’s out to jail seven cowpunchers who left a corpse in the wake of their drunken spree. Along the way, Maddox contends with an aging cattle baron (Lee J. Cobb), a milquetoast sheriff (Robert Ryan) and a town full of craven hypocrites, all carved into fascinating characters by a topnotch ensemble cast.
The Green Hornet — Seth Rogen and writing partner Evan Goldberg (Superbad) apply their trademark humor to the superhero genre in this big-screen action-adventure about a newspaper-publishing playboy (Rogen) who dons a disguise to fight crime after hours. As the Green Hornet, Britt Reid’s power is no longer limited to the printed page — and thanks to a nimble martial-arts expert (Jay Chou), he has the skills to expose the city’s roughest criminals.
I Am Number Four — After nine aliens flee their home planet to find a peaceful life on Earth, their plans are shattered by pursuers who must kill them in number order. Number Four is a teen named John (Alex Pettyfer), who uses his extraordinary abilities to battle his enemies. John’s guardian, Henri (Timothy Olyphant), aids him in his deadly fight while he tries to protect his human girlfriend, Sarah (Dianna Agron), and connect with the others who share his powers.
The Inspectors — U.S Postal Inspectors are called in when a suburban couple are killed by a mail bomb. Suspicion immediately falls on the couple’s estranged and heavily in debt son, who also just happens to be a Navy munitions expert. But investigations reveal that he is on the run from a past event in his life that is associated with the bombings. (from IMDb)
The Illusionist — Oscar-nominated for Best Animated Feature, this wistful tale follows the fading fortunes of aging illusionist Tatischeff , who’s forced to perform in obscure venues as his act is eclipsed by the growing popularity of rock bands. He gets an emotional lift, though, from a wide-eyed girl named Alice, who thinks he possesses magic powers. But Tatischeff’s “sleight of hand” efforts to impress her with expensive gifts may lead to his financial undoing.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles — Picking up right where the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day left off, this series follows Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) and her son John (Thomas Dekker) as they race to save humanity from forces sent from the future. Pursued by agents of Skynet, the mother and son must use their wits and create alliances to ensure that John survives to become the savior of the human race. Disguised as regular people, evil Terminators seek to destroy the duo.
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